Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,046 per month in Nis vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,534 per month in Nis vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,022 per month in Nis vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nis is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nis 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 RSD 783

$11.60 MX$200

-33.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 RSD 3,512

$47.11 MX$812

-26.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 RSD 1,001

$11.88 MX$205

-16.84%

Cappuccino

$2.01 RSD 204

$3.98 MX$68.6

-49.50%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RSD 250

$1.43 MX$24.60

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 RSD 184

$0.82 MX$14.22

120.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 RSD 391

$3.19 MX$55.0

20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 RSD 455

$6.79 MX$117

-33.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 RSD 119

$1.68 MX$28.89

-29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 RSD 71.7

$2.20 MX$37.88

-67.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RSD 171

$1.71 MX$29.45

-1.17%

Eggs

$2.31 RSD 234

$2.74 MX$47.26

-15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 RSD 768

$9.58 MX$165

-20.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 RSD 603

$9.01 MX$155

-33.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 RSD 1,094

$12.81 MX$221

-15.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 RSD 112

$2.89 MX$49.81

-61.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RSD 171

$1.50 MX$25.81

12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RSD 151

$2.15 MX$37.03

-30.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 RSD 207

$2.26 MX$38.96

-9.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RSD 84.9

$1.98 MX$34.15

-57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RSD 79.2

$1.99 MX$34.30

-60.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RSD 71.1

$1.23 MX$21.28

-43.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 59.2

$1.20 MX$20.63

-51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 RSD 465

$4.55 MX$78.5

0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 RSD 565

$10.37 MX$179

-46.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RSD 73.1

$1.62 MX$27.91

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 RSD 129

$2.88 MX$49.67

-55.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 RSD 191

$5.39 MX$92.9

-64.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RSD 66.3

$3.73 MX$64.3

-82.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 RSD 858

$5.77 MX$99.5

46.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RSD 192

$1.54 MX$26.48

23.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.1K RSD 3.3M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

42.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.8K RSD 2.5M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-4.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$159 RSD 16.1K

$91.4 MX$1,576

73.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.82 RSD 2,008

$25.20 MX$435

-21.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.75 RSD 2,407

$31.24 MX$539

-23.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.60 RSD 3,202

$67.2 MX$1,159

-52.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 RSD 1,622

$29.11 MX$502

-45.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 RSD 509

$4.86 MX$83.8

3.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$258 RSD 26.1K

$224 MX$3,856

15.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,164 RSD 523.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

22.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 RSD 9,358

$47.10 MX$812

96.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 RSD 3,965

$44.29 MX$764

-11.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 RSD 10.5K

$80.1 MX$1,381

29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RSD 11.3K

$92.7 MX$1,598

20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 RSD 40.7K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RSD 29.5K

$390 MX$6,728

-25.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 RSD 60.5K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 RSD 42.0K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-67.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,641 RSD 267.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-33.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,886 RSD 191.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-70.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 RSD 95.9K

$758 MX$13.1K

24.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

11.45

-55.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nis: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Nis versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Nis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nis versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $276 – making Nis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Nis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Nis, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,569 per month in Nis and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,046 in Nis and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $258 per month in Nis and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,046, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nis costs $1,046 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.